B3030

[MJ Services]

There's nothing broken in the hydraulic system. It's just way underpowered. As for a 7' back blade being too big, not true at all. It weighs less than 400 lbs, the three point should throw that around with ease. It struggles to lift it, if at all sometimes. I've had the hydraulics apart a few times and nothing is wrong.

As for being stuck in the grass, literally stuck in the grass. With two wheel drive and frozen tires. It literally gets stuck in the grass with a half inch of snow, completely flat terrain. To be fair that's got more to do with the idiot I bought it from filling the tires with water.

To the guy that doesn't believe me, call me and let me know how well it's working at 1600 hours. I dot abuse any of my equipment cause I rely on it to earn a living. But kubota is supposedly the est if the best which is why I bought this machine. Been nothing but a hassle since day one.

I'll check for that roll pin on but I find it hard to believe any engineer would rely on a roll pin to power the front driveline. Way too much stress on it. I can see if a roll pin holds a yoke on a shaft, but even if it breaks it still outta be splined.

To the guy that thinks I'm playing with you, give me a break. I'm a contractor, not a home hobbyist. I've got better things to do than troll websites for kicks. Do you guys want a video of this thing stuck in the yard to prove it? I've been reading this forum for years. It's funny that the post count means more than anything else on these sites. I came here looking to see if the 3030 has known issues. I found nothing but good reviews in the 3030 when I bought it. But it's pretty sad when I can literally get more done with a wheel barrow than I can with a 30 hp tractor

 

[WaxMan]

There's nothing broken in the hydraulic system. It's just way underpowered. As for a 7' back blade being too big, not true at all. It weighs less than 400 lbs, the three point should throw that around with ease. It struggles to lift it, if at all sometimes. I've had the hydraulics apart a few times and nothing is wrong.

As for being stuck in the grass, literally stuck in the grass. With two wheel drive and frozen tires. It literally gets stuck in the grass with a half inch of snow, completely flat terrain. To be fair that's got more to do with the idiot I bought it from filling the tires with water.

To the guy that doesn't believe me, call me and let me know how well it's working at 1600 hours. I dot abuse any of my equipment cause I rely on it to earn a living. But kubota is supposedly the est if the best which is why I bought this machine. Been nothing but a hassle since day one.

I'll check for that roll pin on but I find it hard to believe any engineer would rely on a roll pin to power the front driveline. Way too much stress on it. I can see if a roll pin holds a yoke on a shaft, but even if it breaks it still outta be splined.

To the guy that thinks I'm playing with you, give me a break. I'm a contractor, not a home hobbyist. I've got better things to do than troll websites for kicks. Do you guys want a video of this thing stuck in the yard to prove it? I've been reading this forum for years. It's funny that the post count means more than anything else on these sites. I came here looking to see if the 3030 has known issues. I found nothing but good reviews in the 3030 when I bought it. But it's pretty sad when I can literally get more done with a wheel barrow than I can with a 30 hp tractor

Ok I believe you . You should of said right off it had 1600 hrs on it. No B3030 Kubota makes it past 1200 hrs.
Is it too late to get your money back? Because that baby is shot. Your right about the spline never thought about that. Not sure if its splined or not now that I think about it.
It's the first thing I would check though. Seriously though the B3030 has a good record.

 

[Kubotafan]

It sounds to me as if the tractor may have been abused to start with if proper fluids not used. You are having problems reading the diagrams for the front tire drive line, but have had the hydraulics apart a few times. Any chance there was a problem following those diagrams and don't have things put together correctly? I have found in the past that if I have something apart, and parts left over after I put it back together, something isn't right, and it won't work right, if at all. I am not saying Kubota's never have problems, but I have a B3030 and have had good service with it. Any brand tractor can give problems if not properly maintained.

 

[MJ Services]

I hope you're not serious about not making it past 1600 hours.....Most machines would just be getting warmed up at that point. As for the hydraulics vs gearing issues....yes, hydraulics are easy, don't need special tools for hydros. Setting gears, adjusting backlashes, etc takes special tools and skills, neither of which I have. I'm sure I could tear it apart and put it back together if I had to. But I'd rather not jump in to that without having at least an idea of what's broken. When I say that the assembly diagram was over my head, I meant it. I've studied it for a few hours trying to figure out what each part does and how the whole thing comes together and works. I'm struggling with that part. There are lots of parts in that front end drive line. Tractors are more complicated than a normal pickup axle because of all the gearing involved. It's more than a ring and pinion and axle shafts. If you can explain the front drive line to me, I'm all ears.

I wouldn't say this machine was abused, although I cant be certain. Just because somebody was too cheap, or didn't know better, to put the Kubota fluids in the trans doesn't mean it was beat. It worked fine in the warmer months, but the hydro system didn't like the thicker fluid at colder temps. The machine is clean, and looked well kept when I bought it. If I thought it was abused I certainly would have passed on it. I'm well aware of machine maintenance, I own well over 100k worth of equipment. Dump trucks, mowers, backhoes, etc etc. I'm no stranger to fixing machines, but nothing has ever fought me like this stupid tractor has. Every time I fix it, something else breaks on it. If anyone near PA wants it, the first 10k takes it and I'll go look for a MF, NH or even another Kioti.

I didn't come here to "barge in and bash" Kubota. I came here stating my situation and experience with this lemon. I'm looking for some answers on the 4x4 problem. The only real mechanical advice I've heard so far was to check a roll pin........

 

[chim]

..................... The only real mechanical advice I've heard so far was to check a roll pin........

Could be a matter of how the roll pin is used. I'm not familiar with the front end un the discussion, but have seen things like a male/female splined connection with roll pins and snap rings used to keep them engaged. The real forces are taken care of via the splined joint. The front wheels on a K5 Blazer I had used a donut shaped piece of steel with gears on the inside and outside to connect the shaft to the hub. A simple internal snap ring in the hub held the donut back against a spring.

How sure are you of the weight of the 700# piece of concrete, and how were you picking it up? If it was hanging on the front of the bucket, that could be approaching the capability of the loader. I believe yours is rated around 780# with the load in the bucket.

Are you ready for snow in Bernville?

 

[ericher69]

There's nothing broken in the hydraulic system. It's just way underpowered. As for a 7' back blade being too big, not true at all. It weighs less than 400 lbs, the three point should throw that around with ease. It struggles to lift it, if at all sometimes. I've had the hydraulics apart a few times and nothing is wrong. As for being stuck in the grass, literally stuck in the grass. With two wheel drive and frozen tires. It literally gets stuck in the grass with a half inch of snow, completely flat terrain. To be fair that's got more to do with the idiot I bought it from filling the tires with water. To the guy that doesn't believe me, call me and let me know how well it's working at 1600 hours. I dot abuse any of my equipment cause I rely on it to earn a living. But kubota is supposedly the est if the best which is why I bought this machine. Been nothing but a hassle since day one. I'll check for that roll pin on but I find it hard to believe any engineer would rely on a roll pin to power the front driveline. Way too much stress on it. I can see if a roll pin holds a yoke on a shaft, but even if it breaks it still outta be splined. To the guy that thinks I'm playing with you, give me a break. I'm a contractor, not a home hobbyist. I've got better things to do than troll websites for kicks. Do you guys want a video of this thing stuck in the yard to prove it? I've been reading this forum for years. It's funny that the post count means more than anything else on these sites. I came here looking to see if the 3030 has known issues. I found nothing but good reviews in the 3030 when I bought it. But it's pretty sad when I can literally get more done with a wheel barrow than I can with a 30 hp tractor

I tried offering you valid issues that I have experienced or read about and you didn't bother to read them or investigate. Get a manual and learn how to use your POS Kubota. Then if there is still a problem get a WSM to try and troubleshoot the issues since you are asking for advice but don't want to take it. Did you not test drive the machine before buying it? You still have not told us what model Kioti you previously owned? As for the 7ft blade; it IS TOO BIG-didn't say too heavy!

Edit; must have posted at same time. Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[MJ Services]

yeah that's what I figured he meant when he said roll pin. but even if it's sheared off, there's no real way for anything to fall off from that design....

The concrete block I use for counterweight in my pickups for plowing, I put two in each pickup. We poured them at the shop ourselves. Each block is made up from 8 bags. So that's right around 700 lbs if I did my math correctly. Loaders rated at full height of 785 lbs. I'm not going full height with these, just high enough to get in to a pickup. It outta do that with ease but it barely gets it off the ground. I have to use my mini-ex to do it instead and that takes longer since they don't drive around real fast like a tractor does. The 3 point hitch is rated something like 1600 lbs at 24"....but again, it struggles to lift a back blade weighing a few hundred lbs. I can move the blade around with two guys, so no, it's not overly heavy.

I bought this to replace the old Kioti 20hp I had thinking it would make life easier. That little 20hp Kioti could out pull and out lift this Kubota all day long. And I think I paid 2000 bucks for that little thing. This tractor was bought to use mainly around the shop in the winter and here and there during summers. One of the main winter jobs for this 3030 was for a sidewalk crew to use with the back blade, then use the bucket to move piles away from the buildings when needed. Been thinking of putting a rear mounted blower on it, but there's no way this tractor would handle one. Also planned to use it for general work around our shop like loading salt, moving equipment like plows and salters around, moving and loading the counterweights, etc. Just general all around stuff. It was going to be used for bush hogging, mulching and general instal jobs in summer months. But it hasn't made it through one storm this winter yet without a breakdown. We ran it a bit last fall and it seemed fair. I was disappointed with it right away due to the lack of weight it can handle. But at least it pulled the bush hog around ok. No noises were ever made as far as the 4x4 going out. Sometimes it didn't feel like it was engaged, then it would pop itself in after a minute or two. No pops, bangs grinding or kabooms. Just doesn't work. I'm just disgusted with this thing. I can understand being loyal to a brand you think is good. I'm the same way with all my mowers,I only run Scags for the most part. But the day their quality goes downhill and starts to cost productivity, they're out the door and I'll go with something else. I specifically went with Kubota this time because of all the great reviews on this thing. I just don't see it. I looked at comparable NH, MF, JD and even Mahindras. I bought what I thought was the "best" tractor on the market. Kubotas might be good, but the 3030 is a pile of junk. It feels cheaply put together, light weight, poor quality on fitment of the body panels, trans makes one **** of a whine when under way.....it's just junk. We might have put 30 hours on it since we got it and they were easy hours.

Not real ready for another marathon snow event. Calling for snow tomorrow and Tuesday. That's gonna be about 50 hours of plowing with a quick nap in between.

 

[MJ Services]

That old Kioti was a 20 hp. I think it was an LB1914 or something like that. That little tractor pulled the same 7' blade around, in dirt, with no issues. The 3030 just spins out with it. The 3030 isn't heavy enough, and it still outta lift it off the ground with no trouble. But it can't. I certainly don't need a manual to learn how to run a little tractor. None of my other equipment is a challenge for me, I'm sure I'm smart enough to operate it.

There's nothing wrong with the valves, and the 3pt knob is fine. There's no bent linkage. Like I already said, when I shift it into 4x4, I can feel it shift in at the trans. So that makes me assume the problem is after that, and there's a lot going on after the transmission.

 

[srs]

Kubotas might be good, but the 3030 is a pile of junk. It feels cheaply put together, light weight, poor quality on fitment of the body panels, trans makes one **** of a whine when under way.....it's just junk.

MJ, Like I said in my previous post:

If the 3030 is giving you this much aggravation just let it go and move on, you'll probably be much happier and healthier.

 

[s219]

I'd say it's time to double your dosage and pick a side in that ping-pong match going on in your head. On one hand, you're a pro contractor with experience and $100K in equipment who doesn't have time to troll websites, but on the other hand you seem to have got suckered into buying an abused tractor that is too small for your needs, you don't know how front loaders are spec'd, you actually think a 7' blade is not too big for the 3030, and you want help. I don't even know where to start! But welcome and good luck!